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Update: What lies in store for the Colony?

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by:
The Observer Staff

The Colony Beach & Tennis Resort, still in the process of closing its hotel operations, was quiet and mostly deserted Tuesday, Sept. 29.

The hotel was locked, with a note on the front door reminding the postman to deliver mail to the executive offices. The pool and tennis courts were vacant, as well as the beach that sits behind the resort.

Hurdles, however, may exist for plans to shut off the town’s water service to the Colony’s condominiums.
Finance Director Tom Kelley reported the Colony owes $53,000 in payments and late fees for the resort’s 21 water accounts onsite at 1620 Gulf of Mexico Drive.

The Colony, Kelley said, is in the middle of a three-month payment plan that was offered and accepted by Colony management late this summer.

And Kelley said the town has not yet received a request to shut the water off, which Kelley said would be difficult to do.

“The whole Colony is treated as one water account,” Kelley said. “It would be difficult for unit owners to figure out which water meters their units are attached to and how many other units would have to be turned back on for one meter.”

Town Clerk Trish Granger also reported Tuesday that the town has suspended the collection of business-tax receipts for Colony unit owners and will send refunds to owners who have already paid the tax.

The loss of the Colony’s business-tax receipt income for the town is approximately $6,000.

Meanwhile, the Sarasota County 12th Judicial Court will rule on whether Colony Beach & Tennis Resort owner Dr. Murray “Murf” Klauber’s motion to dismiss a foreclosure lawsuit filed against him by Bank of America will be granted next week. A special hearing will be held before Magistrate Deborah Bailey at 2:30 p.m. Monday, Oct. 5, at the Lynn Silvertooth Judicial Center, in Sarasota.